Newsletter archive

The Elders send regular email newsletters to their supporters, updating them on their work and responding to some of the many messages and questions they receive. You can sign up to receive email updates using the 'signup' link in the top right of this page.

April 2018: David Nussbaum Our CEO highlights a recent guest blog by Louise Arbour, the UN Special Representative for International Migration, on the need for need for sustained political leadership on migration.

March 2018: Hina Jilani Ahead of International Women's Day 2018, Hina Jilani reflects on the impressive achievements of global women’s protest movements over the past year and the barriers that remain to overcome.

February 2018: Mary Robinson Mary Robinson calls on the international community to agree new ways of managing migration that respects and protects human dignity.

January 2018: Kofi Annan In his New Year message, Kofi Annan reflects on the life of Nelson Mandela in his call for leaders to act with compassion and empathy in 2018.

December 2017: Lakhdar BrahimiReflecting on his recent visit to a refugee centre on the Italian island of Sicily and a meeting with Pope Francis, Lakhdar Brahimi highlights the need for solidarity with those who are forced to live a perilous existence on the front lines of Europe’s borders and across the world.

November 2017: Ban Ki-moon Following his first Elders' board meeting and an intergenerational dialogue with future young leaders, Ban Ki-moon reflects on the need to ensure a more peaceful world to allow younger generations to meet their potential to the fullest extent.

October 2017: Ernesto Zedillo Pointing to the power of solidarity and empathy, Ernesto Zedillo urges people to take action and demand that leaders end the suffering of victims of natural disasters, conflicts and violence across the world.

August 2017: Ricardo LagosRicardo Lagos reflects on the launch of the Walk Together campaign and calls for sustained commitment to counter the threats that face global freedoms today.

July 2017: Graça MachelGraça Machel reflects on The Elders' first ten years, ahead of the launch of the Walk Together campaign to continue Mandela's long walk to freedom.

June 2017: Martti AhtisaariFollowing an Elders board meeting, Martti Ahtisaari reflects on the importance of maintaining multilateralism at the heart of international relations in order to overcome today's greatest challenges.

May 2017: Mary RobinsonAcknowledging cynicism within politics and the media, Mary Robinson calls for evidence-based science to determine the global policy agenda as she expresses solidarity with climate scientists and those on the frontlines of climate change.

April 2017: David NussbaumReflecting on a recent staff trip to Israel-Palestine, our CEO remains inspired by the brave groups from both communities who continue to be voices of peace and justice.

March 2017: Ernesto ZedilloIn a world of uncertainty and insecurity, Ernesto Zedillo highlights the importance of dialogue in order to reach common ground.

February 2017: Lakhdar BrahimiWhilst acknowledging the need to address security, Lakhdar Brahimi calls on leaders to respond to refugees and migration with care and responsibility.

January 2017: Kofi AnnanIn his New Year message, Kofi Annan reflects on The Elders' work in 2016 and calls on leaders to be honest with their people as the world faces hard choices in 2017.

December 2016: Andrew WhitleyIn a valedictory piece after six years at The Elders, Andrew Whitley laments the loss of innocent civilian life in ongoing atrocities around the world, and reflects on the failure of internationally-binding rules-based systems.

November 2016: Mary RobinsonRejecting rising intolerance and isolationism, Mary Robinson points to from leaders working together to tackle global challenges.

October 2016: David NussbaumReflecting on his first board meeting as CEO, David Nussbaum recalls the Elders undimmed sense of determination as "prisoners of hope" and pays tribute to Ela Bhatt as she steps down.

September 2016: Andrew WhitleyAndrew Whitley reflects on a busy month during which The Elders launched a new report in Germany on refugees and mass migration, and held several meetings in and around the UN General Assembly in New York.

August 2016: Kofi AnnanKofi Annan reflects on the shocking images of children who have suffered in the Syrian conflict and asks whether the world has done enough, both in protecting civilians within Syria and those who have fled.

July 2016: Ricardo LagosRicardo Lagos on joining The Elders, Colombia's path to peace and the tensions between conflict resolution and upholding human rights.

June 2016: Tom BrookesProgramme Officer Tom Brookes considers progress to date and the challenges ahead, as we enter the final stretch in the selection process for the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.

May 2016: Elders' TeamHighlights from the launch of our new initiative to campaign for Universal Health Coverage.

April 2016: Jenny YatesProgramme Director Jenny Yates reflects on the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change by 175 countries and considers the road ahead for climate action.

May 2015: Jimmy CarterAfter a visit to the region, Jimmy Carter argues why a paradigm shift is needed in Israel and Palestine.

March 2015: Lakhdar BrahimiLakhdar Brahimi on the challenges facing the Syrian people and the need to make refugee policies more humane in the wake of the conflict.

February 2015: Gro Harlem BrundtlandFrom making the Security Council more representative, to conducting an equitable search for the next Secretary-General, Gro Harlem Brundtland outlines The Elders' proposals for a stronger UN.

October 2014: Mary RobinsonMary Robinson on joining the largest climate protest in history with Gro Harlem Brundtland and building the political momentum for climate action.

September 2014: Gro Harlem BrundtlandGro Harlem Brundtland gives her view of our public debate on peace and ethical leadership with fellow Elders Desmond Tutu and Hina Jilani, and looks ahead to the UN Climate Summit.

June 2014: Ela BhattEla Bhatt on speaking truth to power, amplifying the voices of civil society, and the impact of climate change.

May 2014: Hina JilaniHina Jilani on joining The Elders, viewing climate change through a human rights lens, and the importance of listening to young people.

April 2014: Martti AhtisaariMartti Ahtisaari reports back from The Elders' visit to Myanmar, where a more inclusive approach will be key to helping the country's diverse communities overcome decades of mistrust.

March 2014: Mary RobinsonMary Robinson on The Elders' call for a carbon-neutral future; the role of men in promoting gender equality; and our first ever Twitter Q&A.

September 2013: Gro Harlem BrundtlandReturning from The Elders' first delegation to Myanmar, Gro Harlem Brundtland discusses the rapid reforms taking place and the importance of listening to ethical, inclusive leadership.

July 2013: Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter on political courage, Kerry's latest efforts to revive the Middle East peace process, a recent Elders visit to Washington DC and London, and the appointment of two new Elders.

June 2013: Martti AhtisaariMartti Ahtisaari on conflict in Syria, peace-building in Northern Ireland, his childhood experience as a refugee, and why every conflict can be resolved.

May 2013: Kofi AnnanAfter Desmond Tutu steps down as Chair of The Elders, his successor Kofi Annan pays tribute to his leadership and discusses the recent Elders meeting in Dublin.

April 2013: Lesley-Anne KnightLesley-Anne Knight describes her first few months as CEO of The Elders, looks forward to the group's upcoming meeting, and poses the question: “Why does the world need the Elders?”

November 2012: Mary RobinsonMary Robinson praises the first ever global Day of the Girl and the prominence it gave the issue of child marriage. Returning from an Elders trip to Israel, the West Bank and Cairo, she writes of the imperilled two-state solution and Egypt’s democratic transition.

October 2012: Graça MachelGraça Machel reflects on our progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and underlines the importance of the upcoming inaugural Day of the Girl to bring much-needed focus to adolescent girls.

July 2012: Fernando Henrique CardosoFernando Henrique Cardoso informs Elders supporters of the Elders+Youngers' activities in Rio, The Elders' trip to London in honour of its fifth anniversary, and the delegation to South Sudan to encourage peace talks.

June 2012: Lakhdar BrahimiLakhdar Brahimi writes about his recent trip to Sudan with fellow Elder Jimmy Carter where they met President Omar al-Bashir, and the role of youth in sustainable development.

April 2012: Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter announces Aung San Suu Kyi's appointment to Myanmar parliament and her consequent withdrawal from The Elders.

March 2012: Gro Harlem BrundtlandGro Harlem Brundtland recounts The Elders' trip to India, where she and fellow Elders, Desmond Tutu, Ela Bhatt and Mary Robinson met local grassroots organisations to learn about the work being done to prevent child marriage.

November 2011: Ela BhattEla Bhatt reflects on The Elders' meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where they met fifty young Brazilian activists, students and entrepreneurs.

October 2011: Mary RobinsonMary Robinson writes about the winners of the year's Nobel Peace Prize, as well as The Elders' work on child marriage, the Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN, and reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire.

Please note, due to a change of website format, the newsletters below no longer have working links.

September 2011: Martti AhtisaariFeaturing the online launch of The Elders' documentary on missing persons in Cyprus, Elders' blogs on why Palestinian reconciliation should be supported, the resumption of talks between North and South Korea and reflecting on the tragic events in Norway.

June 2011: Graça MachelGraça Machel writes about The Elders' recent meeting in Ethiopia, where, along with Desmond Tutu, Gro Brundtland and Mary Robinson, she met with 70 people from around the world who are working to end child marriage.

May 2011: Kofi AnnanKofi Annan reports on The Elders' recent visits to Côte d’Ivoire, where they encouraged reconciliation efforts, and the Korean Peninsula, where they highlighted the growing food crisis and the need for all parties to resume dialogue.

March 2011: Fernando H CardosoLooking ahead to International Women's Day, Fernando H Cardoso reflects on how much still needs to be done to achieve Women's equality, and how men must play their part.

February 2011: Gro Harlem BrundtlandGro Harlem Brundtland writes to Elders' supporters about the tumultuous events in Egypt and Tunisia, the launch of The Elders' Cyprus documentary and the historic referendum in South Sudan.

December 2010: Lakhdar BrahimiLakhdar Brahimi informs the Elders supporters of the progress made towards a more unified Palestinian leadership and draws attention to the ways in which the Elders have urged for peace.

October 2010: Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter announces the new initiative to end child marriage by forming a global alliance, reports on The Elders' trip to the Middle East, and explains how everyone can show their support to political prisoners in Burma.

August 2010: Martti AhtisaariMartti Ahtisaari reflects on the efforts needed to help the Pakistan flooding crisis and the Sri Lankan reconciliation progress, announces the public retirement of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and thanks The Elders' supporters for their Mandela Day messages.

July 2010: Desmond TutuDesmond Tutu writes of The Elders' call for action in Burma to show solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi on her 65th birthday, the announcement of the Every Human Has Rights Campaign, and reiterates The Elders' support for all those involved in the Middle East conflict.

June 2010: Gro Harlem BrundtlandGro Harlem Brundtland recounts The Elders' recent meeting in Johannesburg, The Elders' trips to Sudan and Zimbabwe, and the campaign against nuclear weapons proliferation.

April 2010: Mary RobinsonThanking The Elders' supporters for their messages concerning equality for girls and women, Mary Robinson clarifies how they can help the organisation, and highlights The Elders' work on Cyprus.

January 2010: New Year MessageOn behalf of the Elders, Desmond Tutu offers a message of thanks and well wishes to their supporters, and looks back at The Elders' work from 2009.